Wednesday, August 15, 2012

The Fecal Factor: Washing your Belt

You have probably heard the old martial arts adage that you should never wash your belt because you will wash the knowledge out of it. The guy who said that is a dumbass!

What you are really washing out of a dirty belt is dirt, sweat, blood, hair, snot, bacteria, viruses, parasites and a lot of fecal matter (PooP)...How did that fecal matter get there? From you not washing your hands after using the bathroom at the gym...maybe you laid your belt down on the floor in the gym bathroom while you were going or on the gym floor itself. Could it be that you laid it on your car passenger seat where how many untold butts have sat... maybe.. just maybe.. your rolling partners didn't wash their hands. Take a mental look at your partners and pick out who the non hand washer is in your club

Maybe it got tangled in your sweaty gi and thrown in your hot car to sit and ferment. You washed your gi but didn't wash the belt..This bring new meaning to the term "Rank." Washing your belt keeps it clean, soft and makes your belt look a little more worn, like you have been at that rank longer (an added benefit). You wouldn't go weeks or months not washing your gi? Would you? Don't answer that...

Your belt is an extension of your gi. Think of it this way...You are not washing out the knowledge in your belt, that's in your head but you are washing out the past . A past that was not kind to that belt!

Remember: Don't ever ever ever ever ever ever ever feel bad for wanting to be clean. There is no downside to it.

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